Radiology and Nuclear Medicine - Coding Guidelines

Because radiology services can involve a technical component, a professional component or the total service, it is important that claims for radiology and nuclear medicine be coded to accurately represent the services rendered.

Claims Filing Information

Please use CPT codes and appropriate modifiers to report radiology services. If you are reporting the total service, it is not necessary to use a modifier. However, if you are reporting only the technical or professional portion of the service, please use the appropriate modifier code.

The following is an example showing the correct use of modifier codes for a radiological service:

CPT code:
70140- 26
Radiologic exam, facial bones; fewer than three views (professional component only)

70140- TC
Radiologic exam, facial bones; fewer than three views (technical component only)

Bilateral Services

EMC Claims

Providers submitting claims electronically may indicate two or more modifiers per procedure. If providing only the technical or professional component for a bilateral procedure, please use the appropriate service modifier followed by an RT (right) or LT (left) modifier to indicate the bilateral procedure.

Hard Copy Claims

Example 1

To code bilateral services when the total service is rendered, use an LT (left) or RT (right) modifier code only

Example 2

If providing only the technical or professional component for a bilateral procedure, indicate the modifier 26 or TC on the left side of the modifier space (before the broken line) in Column 24D.

To indicate a bilateral procedure place an RT (right) or LT (left) in the far right of the modifier space (after the broken line) in Column 24D. Do not use modifiers 50 or 51 to indicate bilateral services.

Revision History